Weekend Preview: Mavericks Wrap Up Regular Season

Both CMU basketball teams are headed for the post-season. However, while the Maverick women have clinched the #1 seed in next week's RMAC Shooutout and headed toward an appearance in the South Central Regional Tournament, the men's team is still fighting for playoff position.

The Maverick men (17-7, 14-6 RMAC) head into this weekend's games with Adams State and Fort Lewis, tied with Adams for third place in the conference standings, one game behind Fort Lewis. While the Mavericks could finish as high as second place with wins this weekend, the main goal at this point is to finish no worse than fourth. That would give the Mavericks a home playoff game next Tuesday at Brownson Arena.

The Mavericks lost a close one to Adams State when they played earlier this season 84-79. But the Grizzlies seem to have been playing their best basketball during the last month of the season and have climbed to the #6 spot in the regional rankings, a spot held by the Mavericks just two weeks ago.

On Saturday it doesn't get any easier when the Mavericks play second place Fort Lewis. The Skyhawks were upset by Regis last Saturday 80-77, one day after upending top-ranked and previously unbeaten Metro State 61-54.

Meanwhile, the Maverick women(23-1, 19-1 RMAC)  clinched the  RMAC regular season title last weekend when they defeated Western State Colorado, and 2nd place Metro lost back-to-back games to  Adams State and Fort Lewis. No matter what happens this weekend, the Mavericks will be the #1 seed in the RMAC Shootout and will host Regis in a  first round playoff game on Tuesday, and the rest of the tournament if they win that game. They currently sit in the #1 position in the South Central Region.

Don't expect the ladies, ranked #4 in the nation,  to let up on the throttle. Head Coach Taylor Wagner has preached a never-let-up mentality all season and wants his team playing their best basketball heading into the post-season.  But Adams State is confident after beating Metro last weekend, and Fort Lewis has won 8 games in a row. In this conference, anything can happen on any given night.

It's White Out weekend at Brownson arena. All Maverick fans in attendance are encouraged to wear white. Friday and Saturday night the action begins with the women's game at 5:30 with the men's game to follow.

(Zane Mathews provides radio  play-by-play for the Mavericks on AM 1230 KEXO and on line at www.kexo1230.com)